Consistency Over Perfection, Every Time
THE SKINCARE ANALOGY
Let's imagine that you're building a skincare routine. You start small: a face wash and a moisturizer. When that's going well and pretty consistent you add some SPF because you know it's important. You find yourself enjoying the feeling of self-care and decide to start playing with a serum or oil. Now let's say you've played around, did some trial and error with different products, and finally nailed down a perfect skincare routine. You're skin is looking amazing, you feel great, you actually *enjoy* doing it... Are you telling me that you are never going to change it ever for the rest of your life? You're never going to get bored or watch a Youtube video or tiktok and want to try out something different? You're never going to explore new products just for fun? You're not going to adjust your routine based on the season or your stress levels or maybe your skin has changed and has different needs? You're telling me you're never going to opt out because you got a wicked sunburn and just want to give your skin a chance to heal before you add back in all the extras? Exactly. So why do we think that fitness and nutrition are pass or fail, when other healthy habits like skincare are versatile and flexible?! Why do we think we need to nail down an exercise routine and diet and never miss a day or change it ever again? Consistency and general care for your health and wellbeing will always be the thing that actually makes the difference, not whether or not you do P90x every day and never miss your kale smoothie.
TAKING TIME OFF
Rest is SO important. For your physical and mental health. So when you take time off, whether it's a day or a week or a month, always remember that time off is not only inevitable, but it's vital. Giving yourself full permission to take time off when you need it or want it is a crucial component to long-term consistency. If someone exercised 46 weeks out of 52 last year, would you consider that someone who exercised consistently? Me too. That also means they took 6 weeks off of exercise completely. Maybe they took a week off when they were ill, and another off for the holidays, and then had a two week vacation to Mexico where they spent the entire time laying on the beach, and they took a whole month off just cause they were overwhelmed with work. In the moment, taking a week or a month away from your routine might seem like a HUGE deal, like a failure. But I guarantee in the grand scheme of your life, it's nothing. And if you consider it a failure, it will be so much harder to want to "start again". If you consider it just a little break that you need to recharge or recover, it's much easier to return to your routine or find a new one when you're ready. Also keep in mind that variety can be super helpful in consistency. Someone could exercise that same 46 weeks, but sometimes it’s yoga, and sometimes it’s hiking a lot, and sometimes it’s rock climbing, and sometimes it’s cross-country skiing. So, remember to keep the big picture in mind when taking breaks or trying to reset and refocus.
